Zdravljica
| English: A Toast | |
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 Original manuscript of Zdravica, written in the Bohorič alphabet |
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| National anthem of |  Slovenia(the 7th stanza) |
| Also known as | Zdravljica |
| Lyrics | France Prešeren, 1844 |
| Music | Stanko Premrl, 1905 |
| Adopted | 1989 |
| Music sample | |
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Zdravica (instrumental)
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Zdravica (A Toast) or Zdraviljca, written in 1844, is a poem by the Slovene Romantic poet France Prešeren, considered the national poet of Slovenes. Since 27 September 1989, its 7th stanza has been the national anthem of Slovenia.
Zdravica is a drinking song. In it, the poet declares his belief in a free-thinking Slovene and Slavic political awareness. The poem has been interpreted as a promotion of the idea of a unified Slovenia, which the March Revolution in 1848 elevated into a national political programme.
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History
In 1844, the censorship of the Austrian Empire did not allow for the poem to be printed. Later Prešeren himself intended to include it in his poem collection Poezije (Poems), and to that end omitted the third stanza ("V sovražnike 'z oblakov / rodú naj naš'ga treši gróm") in order to save the rest. However the censor (fellow-Slovene Franc Miklošič in Austrian service) saw in the fourth stanza ("Edinost, sreča, sprava / k nam naj nazaj se vrnejo") an expression of pan-Slavic sentiment and therefore did not allow its publication either. Prešeren believed the poem would be mutilated without both the third and the fourth stanza and decided against including it in the Poezije. The integral version was first published after the March Revolution when the censorship was abolished. It was published on 26 April 1848 in the newspaper Kmetijske in rokodelske novice, edited by the conservative Slovene leader Janez Bleiweis.
Seventh stanza of Zdravica was adopted as an anthem in 1989 by the Socialist Republic of Slovenia before the breakup of Yugoslavia. Therefore, it was the anthem of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia, the Republic of Slovenia as a constituent republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 8 March 1990 to 25 June 1991, and of the Republic of Slovenia as a sovereign state.
Lyrics
The following provides the original Slovene text of Zdravica and its English translation by Janko Lavrin.[1] The poem is a carmen figuratum because the shape of each stanza resembles a wine cup.
| Spet trte so rodile, | The vintage, friends, is over, |
| prijat'li, vince nam sladkó, | And here sweet wine makes, once again, |
| ki nam oživlja žile, | Sad eyes and hearts recover |
| srce razjásni in oko, | Puts fire into every vein. |
| ki utopi | Drowns dull care |
| vse skrbi, | Everywhere |
| v potrtih prsih up budi! | And summons hope out of despair. |
| Komú narpred veselo | To whom with acclamation |
| zdravico, bratje! čmo zapét'? | And song shall we our first toast give? |
| Bog našo nam deželo, | God save our land and nation |
| Bog živi ves slovenski svet, | And all Slovenes where'er they live, |
| brate vse, | Who own the same |
| kar nas je | Blood and name, |
| sinov sloveče matere! | And who one glorious Mother claim. |
| V sovražnike 'z oblakov | Let thunder out of heaven |
| rodú naj naš'ga trešči gróm, | Strike down and smite our wanton foe! |
| prost, ko je bil očakov, | Now, as it once had thriven, |
| naprej naj bo Slovencov dom; | May our dear realm in freedom grow. |
| naj zdrobé | May fall the last |
| njih roké | Chains of the past |
| si spone, ki jim še težé! | Which bind us still and hold us fast! |
| Edinost, sreča, sprava | Let peace, glad conciliation, |
| k nam naj nazaj se vrnejo; | Come back to us throughout the land! |
| otrók, kar ima Slava, | Towards their destination |
| vsi naj si v róke sežejo, | Let Slavs henceforth go hand-in-hand! |
| de oblast | Thus again |
| in z njo čast, | Will honour reign |
| ko préd, spet naša bode last! | To justice pledged in our domain. |
| Bog žívi vas Slovenke, | To you, our pride past measure, |
| prelepe, žlahtne rožice; | Our girls! Your beauty, charm and grace! |
| ni take je mladenke, | There surely is no treasure |
| ko naše je krvi dekle; | To equal maidens of such race. |
| naj sinóv | Sons you'll bear, |
| zarod nov | Who will dare |
| iz vas bo strah sovražnikov! | Defy our foe no matter where. |
| Mladenči, zdaj se pije | Our hope now, our to-morrow - |
| zdravica vaša, vi naš up; | The youths - we toast and toast with joy. |
| ljubezni domačije | No poisonous blight or sorrow |
| noben naj vam ne usmŕti strup; | Your love of homeland shall destroy. |
| ker po nas | With us indeed |
| bode vas | You're called to heed |
| jo sŕčno bránit klical čas! | Its summons in this hour of need. |
| Živé naj vsi naródi, | God's blessing on all nations, |
| ki hrepené dočakat dan, | Who long and work for that bright day, |
| ko, koder sonce hodi, | When o'er earth's habitations |
| prepir iz svéta bo pregnan, | No war, no strife shall hold its sway; |
| da rojak | Who long to see |
| prost bo vsak, | That all men free, |
| ne vrag, le sosed bo mejak! | No more shall foes, but neighbours be. |
| Nazadnje še, prijatlji, | At last to our reunion - |
| kozarce zase vzdignimo, | To us the toast! Let it resound, |
| ki smo zato se zbrat'li, | Since in this great communion |
| ker dobro v srcu mislimo; | By thoughts of brotherhood we're bound |
| dókaj dni | May joyful cheer |
| naj živí | Ne'er disappear |
| vsak, kar nas dobrih je ljudi! | From all good hearts now gathered here. |
Musical adaptations
Zdravica was first set to music in 1905 by the Slovene composer Stanko Premrl, whose choral composition was proclaimed the official tune of the Slovenian anthem by the Slovenian Assembly on 27 September 1989 .
In 1987, the Slovenian band Lačni Franz (Hungry Franz) recorded and later performed Zdravica as a rock song.
In 2010, the American metalband Manowar performed the song during the Magic Circle Festival held in Tolmin.
See also
- National symbols of Slovenia
- Naprej zastava slave, anthem of Socialist Republic of Slovenia as a part of SFRY
References
- ↑ "France Prešeren: Zdravica". Government of Slovenia. http://www.vlada.si/en/about_slovenia/political_system/national_insignia/france_preseren_zdravica_a_toast/. Retrieved 16 September 2009.
External links
- National Anthem of Slovenia. (Seventh stanza) Mp3 sound file
- National Anthem of Slovenia. Lead sheet by Stanko Premrl
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